A Suspended Fourth Seventh Bass Arpeggio
Bass arpeggio — fretboard diagram
A Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: A, D, E, G
Intervals: 1P, 4P, 5P, 7m
Formula: 5-W-WH
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: 7sus4, 7sus
The A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (A, D, E, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the A Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio
Play the A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio whenever a A Suspended Fourth Seventh chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (A, D, E, G) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play A Suspended Fourth Seventh Arpeggio on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. Span the 4 notes (A, D, E, G) across two to three strings using one finger per fret. Focus on even tone production between plucked strings and smooth position shifts.
The A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio avoids the third, creating an open, unresolved sound. It works over Asus4, Asus2, A7sus4 voicings and is perfect for creating a modern, ambiguous harmonic feel that neither commits to major nor minor.
Practice Routine
Play the A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on A. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 4 notes (A, D, E, G). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Bass Tips
Practice the A Suspended Fourth Seventh arpeggio on bass using a raking technique across adjacent strings for a smooth, flowing sound. Then try the same shape with a two-finger alternating pluck for a more defined, punchy articulation.